VAUGHN'S PERSPECTIVE

It was October 2019, on a Friday night, Morris Brown College homecoming weekend. My friends and I decided to attend a mixer at one of Atlanta’s finest establishments “Grown Folks” located on the infamous Old National Highway in College Park, Ga. As we entered the club, I noticed a tall, sexy, slim dancing to my left. I said to my ace boy Jeff, “Damn that looks me like me right there”. He agreed. People don’t believe me when I tell them I am a very shy person. I was trying to figure out how to approach her. As fate would have it, I was leaving the bathroom and I saw her at the bar. I walked up and said, “You are too pretty to pay for your own drink”. I paid, she said thank you, and walked back to her table where her friends were sitting. Being in my shy moment I did not ask her for a name or number. Later on, a song came on that I’m assuming she liked. She came over grabbed my hand, and took me to the dance floor. We danced a few songs and she went back to her table. At this point, I still have no name or number. Finally, I walked over to her table, handed her my phone and she put her name and number in it. I texted her with my name and number. Now I know who the hell she is. Our first date was at Tom, Dick, and Hanks in College Park. Our second date was at Spondivits. I met her parents on New Year’s Day of 2020 and of course they loved me right away. She met my parents later that same month. My mother said she was so pleasant and really liked our interactions together. As they say, the rest is history.

AGEENA'S PERSPECTIVE

I remember October 11, 2019 like it was yesterday. I was just chilling at home with Zeus, my dog, watching my 600 pound life. (Zeus and I like that show because I get hungry and order pizza. He gets to eat the leftover crust). I got a call about 9pm from a friend that was feeling like she needed a girl’s night intervention. I was always up for girl’s night. I, myself, had been feeling like I wanted to give up on love and being loved. It wasn’t because I didn’t want love. I had just grown tired of being dragged around by cupid. Anyway, I got dressed in a pair of jean shorts that made my legs look longer, a pair of 4’ heels and a nice chiffon flower print blouse that accentuated my midriff (yeah, I was cute cute). It was a Friday night. Usually on Friday nights, I would go to my favorite old school club. On this particular night, my friend wanted to go to Grown Folks. It was Morris Brown College homecoming weekend and the club was packed. The mood was filled with positive energy. People were having a good time. I don’t usually drink the mixed drink specials because the liquor is usually cheap and it gets you drunk fast. However, I was feeling good and I headed to the bar to place my order when I heard someone say “A woman as beautiful as you shouldn’t be paying for her own drinks, order what you want and I got you”. Ok, so I slowly turn around because in my head I was thinking “the drinks aren’t but $2 and I can pay for that myself”, but I turned around to this guy looking over the top of his glasses (obviously checking me out) and smiling. I didn’t snap on him because he was cute. I just smiled and said thank you. Well, now you know I’m not about to drink a $2 drink, I looked at the bartender and said “you can change that to a top shelf margarita please and thank you. I danced with the guy that bought me the drink (Vaughn) a couple of times and I got this feeling about him. I don’t know how to explain it, but it was an unspoken chemistry. I told my friend “Girl, I just met my husband tonight”.

Fast forward, we began dating and getting to know each other. There are things that happen in your life to let you know who your friends truly are. That also goes for relationships. Our relationship was tested in its infancy. Vaughn really didn’t know me like that to ride the wave of confusion that engulfed my life when we began this journey. This man became my backbone. He held me when I cried about things he didn’t understand, he embraced my children like they were his own, and he encouraged me to keep going when I had decided to give up. I believe in love at first sight, but the day I fell in love with him was the day he told me that my children were welcomed in his home for as long as they needed to be. That was the day I truly gave my heart to Vaughn Richardson. I prayed for someone that would love me with the same energy that I loved them, a man with a gentle spirit like my father, and a man that makes me feel safe just by his presence. I thank God for the blessings he has bestowed upon me by sending this man into my life. Always and forever, I love you Vaughn.